LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

Longford & Exhall

The station was built by the London and North Western Railway and opened on 2nd September 1850 at the same time as the other stations on the Coventry to Nuneaton Line (with the exception of Daimler Halt which only serviced workmen from the adjacent Daimler factory). Longford & Exhall station only handled passenger traffic, because with the absence of local industries generating commercial traffic, both Bedworth and Foleshill stations were near enough to cover any ad hoc need for goods traffic. The station was built on an embankment being accessed from the Nuneaton end of the station by a footpath leading down from the up (Coventry) platform to Station Road, and from the down (Nuneaton) platform, via steps to Woodshires Road. The bridge at the Nuneaton end of the station forming the boundary between the two roads. The platforms were lengthened, constructed by using timber, in the first decade of the 20th century appearing in their lengthened form for the first time on the 1912 Ordnance Survey map. The station buildings, erected in 1850, were typical low-cost structures being built using timber and to a design which pre-dates the 'standardised' modular LNWR designs. The station was the first on the branch to succumb to the competition of public transport being closed on 23rd May 1949.

Reg Instone a member of both the LNWR and Signal Record Societies writes, 'The signal cabin was brought into use in 1914, when some new sidings were constructed, and had a frame for 35 levers. A down loop line was added in 1916. I believe that for most of its life it was opened only for two shifts on weekdays, the rest of the time the signalling instruments being switched through between the boxes on either side (Bedlam Gate and Hawkesbury Lane). For some time in the 1950s or early 1960s the signalman was Maurice Croft, but he moved on to Griff Junction, near Nuneaton. It was the first box on the Nuneaton branch to be abolished, being taken out of service over the weekend of 9th to 10th June 1965'.

Ref: lnwr_le3416 Lens of Sutton Looking along Longford & Exhall's up platform towards Nuneaton with the booking office at the end on the right

Ref: lnwr_le3416a Lens of Sutton Close up showing the basic timber buildings provided by the LNWR on both Longford & Exhall station's platforms

Ref: lnwr_le3420 GJ Biddle Looking from the bridge towards Foleshill with Coventry Gas Work's Gasometers in the distance on the right

Ref: lnwr_le3420a GJ Biddle A close up of the buildings on the station's up platform one year after closure and prior to demolition

Ref: lnwr_le3417 G Edmands Looking from the Nuneaton end of the former station towards Foleshill with the Gasometers on the right

Ref: lnwr_le3419 G Edmands Looking from the Coventry end of the station towards Nuneaton with just part of the brick platform left in situ

Ref: lnwr_le1482 Coventry Library Local Studies Looking towards Bedworth with the Nuneaton to Coventry line passing over the Longford Road circa 1920

Ref: lnwr_le1482a Coventry Library Local Studies Close up showing a Coventry tram proceeding under Longford Road Bridge towards the city centre

Ref: lnwr_le1482b Coventry Library Local Studies Close up showing the sign warning passengers on the open top tram cars to remain seated under the bridge

Ref: lnwr_le1482c Coventry Library Local Studies Close up of an unidentified LNWR 4-4-0 locomotive at the head of a local passenger service to Nuneaton

Ordnance Survey Maps and Control Strips

Ref: lnwr_le3418 National Library of Scotland A 1902 Ordnance Survey map of Longford & Exhall Station showing the original platforms prior to them being extended

Ref: lnwr_le3421 National Library of Scotland A 1912 Ordnance Survey map of Longford & Exhall Station showing the platforms having been extended

Ref: lnwr_le3422 National Library of Scotland A 1936 OS map of the station and the three sidings used as part of marshalling traffic for the Wyken Colliery

Ref: lnwrmap108 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map showing the route from Nuneaton to Coventry plus the Loop Line

Ref: lnwrmap112 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map of the route between Nuneaton No 1 Signal Box and Coventry No 3 signal box

Ref: lnwrmap109 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map of the route between Longford & Exhall station and Hawkesbury Lane station